Universal graphic printing press



Nov. 14, 1939. G. LASZLO 2,179,746

UNIVERSAL GRAPHIC PRINTING P'REss Filed NOV. 1, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 19 30 I P I; F). :20 J7 flX/fl/ 32 34 (3'1 25 ll Ia I 33 35 1 Q L y INVENTOR 0 L45 L0 ll Nov. 14, 1939. cs. LAszLo 2.179.746

UNIVERSAL GRAPHIC PRINTING PRESS Filed Nov. 1, 193-7 2 Sheets$heet 2 4 H W W g 1B 41 39 32 MA ,4? al a WW g H H MINIMUM. /l llfi lvwu HHHIIHH H1132 fig- VINVENTOR MLLHHIHI" MHHHHIIIH ll III "I 3 2 34 hw a TORNEY r from an intaglio plate.

Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNETED STATES PATEN'E QE FEQE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to graphic arts printing presses and more particularly to one which has a universal use in producing etchings, dry points, mezsotints, aquatints, rionotypes, engravings, lithographs, and woodcuts, linoleum cuts, and paraffin cuts.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a lightweight, portable, and inexpensive press for use as a universal device in practically all branches of the graphic arts.

Heretofore, etching presses were provided with metal rolls and with a metal traveling bed, entailing the employment of several relatively thick wool blankets for producing sharp impressions The elasticity and resili ncy oi the blankets was utilized for forcing the print paper into the crevices of the intaglio plate to pick up ink to create an impression. High pressure between the rolls was thus necessary and the press had necessarily to be built heavy, strong, and expensive.

Similarly, presses used for metal plate lithography had to have considerable weight to apply enough pressure on their so-called scrapers.

To produce linoleum and wood cuts regular type printing presses or very heavy copy presses had to be used, the latter had to be heavy and the winding of the press plate makes the printing very slow.

The instant invention seeks to eliminate the expensive thick wool blankets and thus to provide a press of less expensive construction but with high eiiiciency. A primary object of the invention, therefore, resides in the provision of a press having a printing roll provided with a resilient surface for use in urging the print paper into the intaglio.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight, inexpensive, traveling bed, said bed being substantially non-compressible to enable the soft covering of the upper printing roll to efiiciently press the print paper into the plate intaglio.

The invention has for a further object the provision of an upper printing roll having a quite hard crust formed upon a slightly compressible core to obtain plane pressure necessary for producing prints and the like.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of bearings of the jaw lever type for mounting the printing roller to enable the rollers to be widely separated and to more easily receive between them the traveling bed or the printing block chases.

A further feature resides in the provision of a traveling bed having a beveled end for ease of introduction between the printing rolls and for increasing the pressure between the rolls and which is formed on its lower face with stop portions adapted to engage against the lower roll to position the bed at the end of each stroke of its travel.

The combination of the level type bearings and the traveling bed as herein contemplated, obwl ates deflection or bending of the printing rolls and their steel shafts, caused by the pressure employed in the press. Such deflection causes uneven impression, the ends of the rollers in parting greatest pressure while the middle portion of the rollers, because of such deflection, impart weaker pressure.

Another contemplated feature of the invention resides in the provision of a traveling bed in the form of a chase for the accommodation of plates, blocks, etc. Providing said bed with an opening for accommodating said plates or blocks, also forms a feature of this invention. A further alternate form of bed is to mount rubber or linoleum directly upon a block formed with a beveled end and to use said mounted block in the manner of a bed.

An outstanding object of the invention is the provision of a universal pass of the type described which includes in the combination the use of a soft rubber covering on a hard, nonresilient preferably rubber core as an upper roller and a printing board and lower roller of hard, non-resilient material. This invention is based upon the novel discovery that the soft rubber covering on the upper roller has a more efficient, penetrating and resilient property under pressure than wool blankets which were heretofore used in combination with steel rollers. The soft rubber covering is entirely inexpensive and when combined with the printing board and lower,

roller both of the latter may be manufactured of lighter and less expensive material than steel, but at the same time they may be non-resilieht enough to keep and exert an efficient pressure, thus producing in the combination the first portable and inexpensive universal graphic arts press yet produced.

The universal feature of the press consists in its ability to produce in addition to intaglio plate printing, lithographic plate printing, and due to the use of the beveled edge printing bed, also the difierent so-called block printing processes hereinafter explained.

With the foregoing and many other objects, features, and advantages of the invention in mind, the following detailed specification is descriptive of the preferred forms of the features of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a medial portion of the press.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof, as viewed from the right of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through an alternate form of printing elements.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 5, 6, and '7 illustrate longitudinal side views of various types of traveling bed adapted for use in the press.

Fig. 8 is a side view of a plate mounted block adapted for use in an etching press or the like.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the press illustrated is of the portable type and in the present instance is shown as being mounted upon a table T as by means of the end clamps It and the clamp screws ll. These clamps are preferably formed with relatively short post portions [2 to enable a low positioning of the press in relation to the table to obviate long leverage between the clamp mounting and the press rolls. This feature is desirable because of the resistance to turning of said rolls generated by the pressure employed in the press.

As shown, a tie member l3 connects the posts l2 and at each end, this member is formed with an abutment I4 contacted by an intermediate portion of a lever l5 having a bearing Hi. In the bearings I6 is mounted the shaft I? carrying the roll i 8. In its present contemplated form this roll is made of hard, non-resilient rubber or other non-resilient materials.

A complementary lever H) for each lever I5 is provided in superposed relation, and each lever I9 is formed with a bearing 20 for the shaft 2| of the printing roll 22. This roll is preferably formed with a hard rubber core 23 of the consistency of the roll I8 and with a soft rubber covering 24 having considerable compressibility and resiliency.

It will be noted that the bearings l6 and 20 are designed to engage around the ends of the shafts l1 and 2| to obviate deflection or bending of said.

shafts during operation of the press.

The ends of the pairs of levers l5 and I9 are arranged as at 25 for pivotal relation and through openings in each of the pairs of levers there is projected an upstanding stud 28 provided with a tie member 27 therebetween. A coil spring 28 strung on each stud between each upper lever l9 and the tie member 21 is adapted to be compressed as by means of the wing nuts 29.

. To effectively locate each spring 28, the levers l 9 are each formed with a seat 30 for seating the lower ends thereof. Thus the levers I5 and I9 are arranged as levers of the second class whereby the springs 28 urge the roll 22 towards the roll l8.

Between the rolls is introduced a traveling bed 3| of a lightweight, non-compressible material and having substantial thickness. In. the form shown in Fig. 1, this bed is formed with a beveled end 32 for ease of introduction between the rolls l8 and 22 and for the purpose of gradually and progressively increasing the pressure between the rolls, and with a stop portion 33 towards one end and a similar stop 34 at the other to limit the travel of the bed in either direction. Each of the stops 33 and 34 are curved to fit the periphery of the roll l8 against which they are adapted to engage.

The press as above described is peculiarly adapted to strike prints from an intaglio plate I placed upon the upper surface of the bed 3|. In the usual manner this plate is inked and wiped, leaving the intaglio ink filled, and covered with a dampened print paper P. However, in this instance, the previously mentioned expensive, cumbersome wool blankets may be replaced by a quite thin piece of fabric F merely to protect the paper. The handles 35, preferably arranged to turn the shaft IT, are then turned to feed the bed between the rolls. As the plate, paper, and fabric pass under the printing roll 22, the soft rubber covering 24 of said roll will force the paper into the engraved lines of the plate, being urged to do this under pressure of the springs 28 as regulated by the wing nuts 29, and increased by the increasing thickness of the leading edge of the traveling bed.

The formin of the print, it can be seen, is a function of the soft rubber roll covering 24 and the springs 26, said covering first compressing to urge the paper into the intaglio, and the springs then maintaining a proper and even pressure over the entire surface of the plate. It will also be seen, that due to the manner of mounting the rolls, and the application of increasing pressure uniformly over the full length of the rolls by the use of the beveled end traveling bed 3|, deflection of the rolls is obviated with resultant good work.

When it is desired to strike lithographic prints, the roll 36 shown in Fig. 3 may be substituted for the roll 22. This roll is formed of resilient rubher and its outer surface is treated to provide a paper-thin crust 31 of substantial hardness, since this roll is required to provide a plane or surface pressure. The springs 26, in this case may exert their full pressure upon the work as it passes beneath the roll 36.

Often the plates or cuts are mounted upon blocks B as shown in Fig. 5. In this event, as well as for wood blocks, the bed may be formed as a chase 38 having the character of the bed 3| but formed with a seat 39 for the accommodation of the mounted plates or wood blocks which are usually type high. This chase may be integrally formed or, as shown, be provided with a non-metallic beveled end 40 and with a metallic plate portion 41 for the support of the block B.

Another desirable form of bed is shown in Fig. 6 wherein a type high recess 42 is formed in the bed for the reception of the block leaving lateral portions 43 to be engaged by the printing roll 22 or 36 to obviate deflection of said roll.

Also, as shown in Fig. '7, the seat 44 may be formed to a depth only to accommodate a rubber, linoleum, or other such plate to obviate mounting them upon blocks.

Thus, it is apparent that the mounting block of a rubber, linoleum, etc., plate may be formed with the characteristic features of the described bed, it being merely necessary to bevel one end of the block and, if desired, to provide the stops 33 and 34 thereon. This block-mounted plate may now comprise the traveling bed as shown in Fig. 8, comprising the block 45 having a beveled end portion 32.

From the foregoing it may be seen that an inexpensive, durable, and simple and novel device for the purpose intended has been provided. Inasmuch as skilled persons may vary the arrangement and design of the parts comprising the device without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed, only the prior pertinent art, and not the instant specific disclosure, should form the basis of interpretation of said claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a press of the character described, a pair of rolls, respectively upper and lower, the upper roll having a resilient rubber covering, the lower roll being of hard, non-resilient material, and rolls being yieldingly urged toward each and a traveling bed comprising a substantially thick member, said bed being formed with a relatively long beveled end for ease of insertion between the rolls and for gradually increasing pressure uniformly between and along the full length of the rolls, and with portions on said bed adapted to contact one of said rolls for limiting the travel of said bed.

2. In a press of the character described, a pair of rolls respectively upper and lower, the upper roll being provided with a resilient rubber covering and the lower roll being of hard, non-resilient material, and said rolls being yieldingly urged toward each other and a traveling bed comprising a substantially thick member, said bed being formed with a relatively long beveled end for gradually increasing the pressure uniformly between and along the full length of the rolls and with a seat for the accommodation of an intaglio plate, block, or the like.

3. In a press of the character described, a pair of rolls respectively upper and lower, the upper roll being provided with a resilient rubber covering and the lower roll being of hard, non-resilient material, and said rolls being yieldingly urged toward each other and a traveling bed comprising a substantially thick member, said bed being formed with a relatively long beveled end for ease of insertion between the rolls and for gradually increasing the pressure uniformly between and along the full length of the rolls, and with a boxlike recess adapted to receive a block having a printing surface.

it. In a press of the character described, a pair of printing rolls, respectively upper and lower, the upper roll being provided with a resilient rubber covering over a rigid, non-yielding core, and the lower roll being of hard, non-resilient material, means for mounting said rolls comprising pairs of levers, each pair being hingedly engaged to allow the rolls to be spread to accommodate a relatively thick traveling bed or chase for block printing, and means for resiliently urging each lever of a pair toward the other to urge said rolls towards each other.

5. In a press of the character described, a pair of printing rolls, respectively upper and lower, the upper roll being provided with a resilient rubber covering over a rigid, non-yielding core, and the lower roll being of hard, non-resilient material, means for mounting said rolls comprising pairs of levers, each pair being hingedly engaged to allow the rolls to be spread to accommodate a relatively thick traveling bed or chase for block printing, means for resiliently urging each lever of a pair towards the other to urge said rolls towards each other, a traveling bed between the rolls, and means for turning one of said rolls to cause said bed to travel and the other roll to turn.

6. A press of the character described comprising a traveling bed, a pair of rolls between which said bed travels, one of said rolls having a resilient rubber covering and the other of said rolls being of hard, non-yielding material, means for mounting said rolls comprising pairs of pivoted levers, means for resiliently urging said rolls towards each other, and means for rotating one of said rolls.

7. A press of the character described comprising a traveling bed, a pair of rolls between which said bed travels, one of said rolls being provided with a resilient rubber covering and the other of said rolls being of hard, non-yielding material, means for mounting said rolls comprising pairs of pivoted levers, means for resiliently urging -said rolls towards each other, comprising a member in abutting relation with one lever of each pair, an adjustable abutmenton said member, and spring means between each adjustable abutment and the other lever of each pair, and means for rotating one of said rolls.

8. A press of the character described comprising a traveling bed, a pair of rolls between which said bed travels, one of said rolls being provided with a resilient rubber covering and the other of said rolls being of hard, non-yielding material, means for mounting said rolls comprising pairs of pivoted levers, means for resiliently urging said rolls towards each other, comprising a member in abutting relation with one lever of each pair, anadjustable abutment on said member, and spring means between each adjustable abutment and the other lever of each pair, means for rotating one of said rolls, and means for removably clamping the press to a support.

9. In a press of the character described, a pair of rolls, respectively upper and lower, the upper roll having a resilient rubber covering, the lower roll being of hard, non-resilient, material, and said rolls being yieldingly urged toward each other, and a traveling bed comprising a substantially thick member, said bed being formed with a relatively long beveled end for ease of insertion between the rolls and for gradually increasing the pressure uniformly between and along the full length of the rolls, and with portions on said bed adapted to contact one of said rolls for limiting the travel of said bed, said bed also being provided with a seat for the accommodation of an intaglio plate, block or the like.

10. In a press of the character described, a pair of rolls, respectively upper and lower, the upper roll having a resilient rubber covering, the lower roll being of hard, non-resilient material, and said rolls being yieldingly urged toward each other, and a traveling bed comprising a substantially thick member, said bed being formed with a relatively long beveled end for ease of insertion between the rolls and for gradually increasing the pressure uniformly between and along the full length of the rolls, and with portions on said bed adapted to contact one of said rolls for limiting the travel of said bed, said bed having a boxlike recess adapted to receive a block having a printing surface.

11. In a press of the character described, a pair of rolls respectively upper and lower, the upper roll being provided with a resilient rubber covering and the lower roll being of hard, nonresilient material, and said rolls being yieldingly urged toward each other, and a traveling bed comprising a substantially thick member, said bed being formed with a relatively long beveled end for ease of insertion between the rolls and for gradually increasing the pressure uniformly between and along the full length of the rolls.

GEORGE LAszLo. 

